Teen steals house key, throws party at dead woman’s home

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

ROELAND PARK, Kan. -- Police detained 31 teenagers after officers say the son of an estate sale auctioneer used a house key to get into a deceased woman’s home and throw a party.

Neighbors in the Roeland Park neighborhood knew something was strange when the lights were on at the deceased woman's vacant home and dozens of teenagers were seen inside, according to WDAF.

A neighbor called police. When officers showed up, the teens turned off the lights, locked doors, and acted like they were not there.

“People do tend to turn off the lights and pull the shades when we knock on the door. But the deceased homeowner's son did respond to the house and opened up the garage so we could get access to the house,” said Detective Randy Costlow with the Overland Park Police Department.

Det. Costlow said the owner of the estate company's teenage son took the house key and threw the party.

The man who answered the phone at Chapin Auctioneers acknowledged that the incident did happen, but told WDAF he did not want to comment further at this time.

Investigators are now considering whether to pursue criminal trespassing and damage charges.